Tennessee Defeats Mississippi State 73-64 Behind Gillespie's 18 Points

Greeneville native Ja'Kobi Gillespie leads Volunteers to SEC victory over Bulldogs

Feb. 12, 2026 at 5:31am

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Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 18 points to fuel Tennessee's 73-64 victory over Mississippi State on Wednesday. Tennessee led 39-28 at halftime, but Mississippi State used an 18-0 run early in the second half to close the gap. However, Tennessee answered immediately, with Gillespie hitting a 3-pointer and teammates Nate Ament and J.P. Estrella adding key baskets to stretch the margin once again. Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard scored a game-high 31 points, including 14 in the first half, but the Volunteers held on for the SEC win.

Why it matters

This SEC matchup between Tennessee and Mississippi State featured strong individual performances, with Gillespie leading the way for the Volunteers and Hubbard putting up big numbers for the Bulldogs. The game also highlighted Tennessee's ability to respond to Mississippi State's second-half run, showcasing the Volunteers' resilience and composure in a close conference battle.

The details

Tennessee (17-7, 7-4 SEC) led 39-28 at halftime, overcoming a fast start from Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard, who scored 14 of the Bulldogs' first 16 points and finished with 20 in the opening half. Gillespie opened the second half with seven straight points to extend Tennessee's lead to 46-30. Mississippi State (11-13, 3-8) then used an 18-0 run to close the gap, but Tennessee answered with a 3-pointer from Gillespie, a basket from Nate Ament, and free throws from J.P. Estrella to stretch the margin once again. The Volunteers shot 44% from the field and held a 45-31 rebounding advantage.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Ja'Kobi Gillespie

A Greeneville, Tennessee native who scored 18 points to lead the Volunteers to victory.

Josh Hubbard

The Mississippi State guard who scored a game-high 31 points, including 14 in the first half, and tied the program record for career 3-pointers.

Nate Ament

The Tennessee player who scored 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting and added 5 assists.

J.P. Estrella

The Tennessee player who finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds.

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What they’re saying

“Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 18 points, and Tennessee used a second-half rally to beat Mississippi State 73-64 on Wednesday.”

— Associated Press

What’s next

Tennessee hosts LSU on Saturday, while Mississippi State travels to Ole Miss on Saturday.

The takeaway

This SEC matchup showcased the individual talents of Gillespie and Hubbard, as well as Tennessee's ability to respond to Mississippi State's second-half surge. The Volunteers' balanced scoring and rebounding advantage proved to be the difference in the conference victory.